Extensible chain.



No. 811,054. PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906. E. 0. GIPE. EXTENSIBLB CHAIN.APPLICATION FILED APR 24 1905 PE L WWW l 'r ruin EXTENSIBLE CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed April 24:, 1905. Serial No. 257,183-

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMANUEL C. GIPE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Chains, ofwhich the'following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichcorresponding letters of reference in the different figures indicatelike parts.

The object of my invention is to provide an elastic or extensible chainformed from a spirally-coiled wire, which shall be so constructed thatthe extension thereof may be positively limited by means of inclosedwires adapted. to slide or telescope upon each other. Aiiirtherobjectisto provide means for preventing the convolutions of the chain frombecoming overstrained, so that if grasped at any two points between theends and pulled in opposite directions the strain upon the coil will befrom the ends only, thereby causing it to be transmitted to thelimitingwires, all

of which is hereinafter more particularly described and. definitelyclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a keychain as it would appearnormally. Fig. 2 is a view of the limiting-wires adapted to be locatedwithin the wire-coil. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional viewof a portion of said chain, showing the manner of assembling andconnecting the parts. Fig. 4; is a view of one of the end loops; Fig. 5,a perspective view of one of the end caps. Fig. 6 is a like view of oneof the tubular sections. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in detail ofportions of the stop or limiting wires. Fig. 8 is a view of the chainwhen stretched to its full limit, and Fig. 9 is a view of a modifiedform of limiting or guard wires.

Referring to the drawings, a, Figs. 3 and 8, represents a coil ofspring-tempered. wire, the convolutions of which rest normally againsteach other, as shown in Fig. 3. Inclosed within said coil are twowires 1) 0, Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8, which I term the limiting-wires, eachof which is preferably about the normal length of the coil. The wire I)is bent at one end, as shown at 61,- Figs. 2 and 3, to form a hook,adapted to extend over and engage the last convolution at one end of thecoil, as shown is said last-named figure, while the wire 0 is of thewire I) from the loop (Z is provided with a coil or loop also shown inFig. 7, which surrounds the body of the wire 6. A coil or knot g is alsoformed upon the opposite end of the wire 6 from the hook c, said knobbeing of sufficient size to prevent it from passing through the loop f.The wires 1) c are loosely connected together, as shown in Fig. 2, andthen inserted'within the coil (1 with the hook (1 connected to one andthe hook e to the opposite end of said. coil in the manner described. Inorder to protect the convolutions of the coil from being overstrained,so as to remain in a stretched or distorted condition, I inclose saidcoil by means of a series of short tubes or cylinders h, which extendthroughout its length when in an unstret'ched condition and are placedloosely thereon. A cap t having a slot j, Fig. 5, in its end is placedover the last tube It at each end of the coil, and a wire end fastening,generally designated by k, consisting of a loop Z, a straight portion7a, and a bent portion it at the end, is inserted within the opening andextended into the coil, as shown in Fig. 3, with the loop Z protruding.The two end tubes are then compressed or dented by means of a suitabledie, as shown at 0, which serves to fasten. the end loops, as well asthe limiting-wires, securely in place. Any kind of hook, loop, or swivelmay be connected with said end loops. In the illustration I have shown aloop 19 joint edly connected with one of them, which may be attached toa garment-button when the chain in question is used as a key-chain, towhich use it is especially adapted. If desired, the end caps maybeincreasedin length, in which case the caps themselves may be crimped toform the fastening.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated the manner in which both. the limiting-wiresand tubes serve to protect the convolutions of the coil from unduestrain. For example, if the extreme ends of the chain are grasped andpulled apart the coil will be stretched until the parts f g of thewires 1) c are brought into contact, when the coil cannot be stretchedfarther. By passing the wire 0 loosely through the coil and leaving theknob 9 free provision is made for any twist which may be imparted to thechain or coil in use.

As illustrating the manner in which the loose tubes It serve to protectthe coil from undue strain it will readily be seen that one cannot graspthe coil itself when unstretehed, but only the loose tubes. If,therefore, one

IIO

should grasp two tubessuch, for example, as the tubes 9 1", Fig. 8andseparate them they would in turn press against the adjacent tubes in theseries until the opposing forces would be applied to the ends of thecoil, which could only be separated to the extent permitted by thelimiting-wires.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the stop or limiting wires constructed in adifferent way. Two wires 8 t, each bent upon itself and provided withtwo end hooks u o, are interlinked with each other and the hooks securedto the coil in the same manner as the hooks upon the wires to. When thecoil is stretched, one link slides upon the other within the coil andpermits the coil to lengthen until the bends w as are brought together.

It is obvious that the end fastenings instead of being crimped, asdescribed, may be soldered or riveted or otherwise fastened withoutaffecting the principle of my invention. The extent to which the chainmay be stretched depends, of course, upon the length of thelimiting-wires, each of which may correspond to the normal length of thecoil, in

which case the maximum length of the chain when extended would be abouttwice that of its normal length.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination in adevice of the class described, of a spirally-coiled spring-wire, meanswithin the coil thereof for limiting its extension, end tubes, one ofwhich is rigidly attached to one and the other to the opposite end ofsaid coil, and a series of non-telescoping disconnected tubes slidablymounted upon said coil between said end tubes, whereby when any two ofsaid tubes are grasped and pulled apart, the members of each separatedgroup may be caused to abut succes sively against each other and in turnagainst the end tube, thus transferring the pull to the ends of the coiland insuring uniformity of stretch throughout the length of the latter.

2. The combination with a spiral coil of spring-wire, of overlappinglimiting-wires inclosed therein, said wires being provided with endhooks whereby one wire may be attached to one and the other to theopposite end of said coil, means for locking said hooks in position, andmeans for slidably connecting the overlapping portions of said wireswhereby they may slide upon each other within predetermined limits.

3. The combination with a spiral coil of spring-wire, of overlappinglimiting-wires inclosed therein, said wires being provided with endhooks whereby one wire may be attached to one and the other to theopposite end of said coil, caps for securing said hooks in position,means for permanently securing said caps to said coil, and means forslidably connecting said wires to limit the movement thereof in oppositedirections.

4. The combination with a spiral coil of spring wire, of overlappinglimiting wires provided with end hooks whereby one wire may be attachedto one and the other to the opposite end of said coil, caps for securingsaid hooks in position, means for permanently securing said caps to saidcoil, means for slidably connecting the overlapping portions of saidwires to limit their opposite movement, and a series of disconnectedtubes surrounding said coil between said caps.

5. The combination with a spiral coil of spring-wire, of overlappinglimiting-wires inclosed therein, said wires being provided with endhooks whereby one wire may be attached to one and the other to theopposite end of' said coil, means for slidably connecting theoverlapping portions of said wires to limit their endwise movement, endloops having their bodies projected within the ends of said coil,offsets upon said bodies and tubes surrounding said ends, said tubesbeing crimped upon said coil and offsets for locking said end loops inposition.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses, this 22d day of April, 1905.

EMANUEL C. GIPE. lVitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER,

CARRIE E. JORDAN.

